MLB Game Recaps: Matt Cain Throws Perfect Game Against Houston Astros

NATIONAL LEAGUE

San Francisco Giants 10, Houston Astros 0

Matt Cain made history by throwing just the 22nd perfect game in Major League history Wednesday night. Cain’s effort was just about as perfect as perfect gets, as he struck out 14, which ties a record for the most punch-outs in perfect game history. Cain’s game score of 101 was also a record-tying number. The Giants right-hander has always been a force to be reckoned with, but this was truly a special start for him. The perfect game brings Cain’s season line to this: 2.18 ERA, 0.85 WHIP, 96 K, 16 BB in 95 IP. Wow. Congrats, man. If you were curious about offense, Gregor Blanco, Brandon Belt, and Melky Cabreraall homered for the Giants. Obviously no one did anything for the Astros.

INTERLEAGUE (AL STADIUMS)

Washington Nationals 6, Toronto Blue Jays 2

The Nationals got a superb start from Stephen Strasburg (non-Cain division), as the Washington ace went six innings, allowed two earned runs, and struck out eight. Tyler Moore filled in at first base and responded quite well, as he hit the first two homers of his big league career. Not a whole lot went according to plan for the Blue Jays, but Jose Bautista did go ahead and hit his 19th home run of the season. The win gives the Nationals six in a row.

Baltimore Orioles 7, Pittsburgh Pirates 1

While Adam Jones was silent for once, Chris Davis and Wilson Betemit picked up the slack for the Orioles. Davis hit his 12th home run, while Betemit hit his eighth. Each of them drove in three runs in the win. Jake Arrieta was fantastic even without the run support, as he went seven strong while only allowing a single run and striking out nine. Jose Tabata and Alex Presley each had a couple of hits for the Pirates if you’re into that sort of thing.

New York Mets 9, Tampa Bay Rays 1

R.A. Dickey would have surely snatched all the headlines should Matt Cain not have made history. Dickey only allowed one hit while striking out 12, and the only run he surrendered was unearned. Meanwhile, David Price somehow got lit up by the Mets, as Andres Torres, Daniel Murphy, Ike Davis, and Mike Nickeas all had multiple hits. And no, Hideki Matsui still isn’t getting any hits.

Texas Rangers 1, Arizona Diamondbacks 0

Matt Harrison pitched seven shutout innings for the Rangers, but it wasn’t until the eighth inning that Texas plated the eventual game-winning run off the bat of Craig Gentry. Yes, Craig Gentry of all people. The pitching staffs for both teams combined to strike out 14 and walk only three, so it wouldn’t be a stretch to say this one was well-pitched all around.

Kansas City Royals 4, Atlanta Braves 3 (F/11)

Jonathan Sanchez and Randy Wolf are both having terrible seasons, but they put that fact aside to combine for 12 innings and just two earned runs on Wednesday. Corey Hart and Aramis Ramirez each had two hits and one RBI for the Brewers, while the Royals got two RBI off the bat of Alcides Escobar. Kansas City eventually one this won in the bottom of the 11th inning when Mike Moustakas drew a walk with the bases loaded.

Philadelphia Phillies 9, Minnesota Twins 8

Jim Thome fought hard against one of his many former teams. The aging slugger hit his second home run of the season and drove in four, while Carlos Ruiz, Hunter Pence, and Juan Pierre each had three hit nights. Tyler Plouffe and Josh Willingham both homered for the second straight night, though their team’s four-run seventh inning was not enough to bring home a victory. The night was a rough one for Cole Hamels, as the potential free agent to be gave up six runs in as many innings of work.

San Diego Padres 1, Seattle Mariners 0

This is the exact kind of score one would expect from such lackluster offenses. Jason Marquis never allowed a run despite permitting 10 baserunners in 6 1/3 innings, and although he’s terrible, Petco has to be his best chance at re-establishing relevance. Hector Noesi allowed just one run, while Munenori Kawasaki had a hit and a stolen base. The Padres were able to get their one run on a solo home run from Yonder Alonso, though Carlos Quentin did draw three walks to help his team.

INTERLEAGUE (NL STADIUMS)

New York Yankees 3, Atlanta Braves 2

In a close game between two good teams, things went back and forth for a while. Down 1-0, Brian McCann hit a two-run bomb to put the Braves ahead by one in the fifth inning. Just an inning later, Curtis Granderson hit a two-run homer of his own to give the Yankees a lead they would keep. Both Hiroki Kuroda and Tim Hudson had quality starts and struck out eight.

Cincinnati Reds 5, Cleveland Indians 3

The Indians aren’t doing a very good job winning over Ohio. With his team already ahead 3-2 in the seventh inning, Brandon Phillips pushed the Reds just out of reach with a two-run blast. Phillips went 3-3 with two runs scored and three RBI in the game. After not allowing a run all season until June 7, this outing makes three straight in which the opposition has managed to score on Aroldis Champman.

Boston Red Sox 10, Miami Marlins 2

Felix Doubront and the Sox offense combined to give the Marlins more than they could deal with. Doubront pitched seven innings, allowed two runs, and struck out nine for his seventh win. Offensively, the Red Sox got help from up and down the lineup. Scott Podsednik, Dustin Pedroia, Adrian Gonzalez, David Ortiz, and Nick Punto all had multiple hits and drove in at least one run. The ugliest line of the game belonged to Marlins reliever Randy Choate, as he never recorded and out while giving up four earned runs on four hits.

Detroit Tigers 8, Chicago Cubs 4

Both Matt Garza and Rick Porcello looked fairly shaky in this one, but the Tigers bullpen settled Chicago’s lineup down so their team had time to score more runs. Brennan Boesch went 4-5 with a home run, two runs scored, and two RBI and teammate Jhonny Peralta had three hits of his own. Alfonso Soriano went 2-4 with a run and one RBI in a losing cause.

St. Louis Cardinals 1, Chicago White Sox 0

Seriously, how many 1-0 games and pitching gems could there possibly be in one night? Jake Peavy allowed only a solo home run to Carlos Beltran in seven innings work, but Lance Lynn was even better for the Cardinals. Lynn went 7 1/3 innings, allowed three hits and one walk, and struck out a career-high 12. Lynn has filled in more than admirably in Chris Carpenter‘s absence, as he has posted a 2.42 ERA and 1.09 WHIP while average more than a strikeout per inning across more than 81 frames.

Oakland Athletics 10, Colorado Rockies 8

The Rockies had the rare feat of two players chalking up four hit games on the same night, but it wasn’t enough to take down the A’s. All four of Marco Scutaro‘s hits were singles, while Michael Cuddyer mixed in two home runs and a double for his. Oakland got help from all over, as Colin Cowgill, Seth Smith, Brandon Inge, and Brandon Moss all drove in multiple runs. The A’s ultimately won this wild Coors game when Brandon Inge hit a two-run double in the top of the ninth to give his team the lead.

Los Angeles Angels 2, Los Angeles Dodgers 1

This inter-city competition was tied firmly at one in the second inning and stayed that way until the top of the ninth. The normally unhittable Kenley Jansen entered the game for the Dodgers in the top of the inning only to give up the first home run Erick Aybar has hit all season. Ernesto Frieri completed the bottom of the inning despite allowing a couple of baserunners, and the Angels were able to claim a road win. Perhaps unsurprisingly, Andre Ethier drove in the only Dodger run.

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